A motor vehicle contains various information and communication areas which have associated display instruments. These are used to inform the driver and passengers. In addition, they can assist the driver in navigation or in communication with the outside world. The display can visually present traffic-related or operation-related data, in particular, from the vehicle. Arranged in proximity to the primary field of vision of the driver is what is known as the combined instrument. Usually, this is in the cockpit behind the steering wheel, where it can be seen through an opening in the steering wheel. It is used particularly to display the speed, the tank content, the radiator temperature and other operation-related information from the motor vehicle. In addition, radio and audio functions can be presented. Finally, menus for telephone, navigation, telematics services and multimedia applications can be displayed. The display used is usually liquid-crystal displays in various disclosed embodiments.
As a further display device, a vehicle frequently has a multifunctional display in the central console or above the central console, which has an associated operator control element. Such a multifunctional operator control element is described in DE 199 41 955 A1, for example.
In order to present the many and diverse operator-control and display options clearly, hierarchic menu structures are frequently used. A menu displays various menu items and possibly graphics or icons associated with the menu items. When a menu item is selected, a submenu having further submenu items opens. This structure can be continued over a plurality of hierarchy levels. Furthermore, instead of a submenu, a menu item may have an associated particular display image which presents the information associated with the menu item.
Very specific demands on the structure of the display arise for the display of information in a motor vehicle. The reason is that the information needs to be displayed such that the information can also be assimilated easily and intuitively by the driver of the motor vehicle. In particular, the assimilation of information by the driver should not result in distraction while in transit.
DE 10 2007 039 442 A1 discloses a method for displaying information in a motor vehicle in which graphical objects are presented in an arrangement on a virtual ring presented in perspective and in which an input by a user prompts the graphics data to be altered such that the objects rotate on the virtual ring in the manner of a carousel.
This carousel-like presentation of graphical objects is advantageous particularly when a few graphical objects need to be presented simultaneously. However, if a larger number of graphical objects need to be presented simultaneously on a relatively small display panel, as is usual in motor vehicles, for example, then the problem arises that the individual objects are difficult for the driver to grasp while in transit in the motor vehicle.